What HanseNautic does

HanseNautic is a German specialty e-commerce retailer of nautical products, headquartered in Eckernförde and operating under the legal entity NV Chart Group GmbH. The company sells paper and digital nautical charts, yacht electronics, safety equipment, boat care products, deck hardware, marine electrical and sanitation systems, sailing apparel, and boating-education materials, targeting recreational sailboat and motorboat owners in Germany and across Europe via its online storefront at hansenautic.de and a single physical retail location in Eckernförde (open Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00). It is positioned as a "Komplettanbieter" (complete provider) for nautical charts in the German sports-boat sector and holds authorized-dealer relationships with the dominant marine electronics manufacturers (Raymarine, Garmin, B&G, Simrad, Lowrance, Icom, Mastervolt), as well as stocking products from NV Charts, Navionics, C-MAP, Yachticon, NAUTICclean and SEA-LINE.

The revenue model combines one-time consumer e-commerce sales (per-unit pricing on charts, electronics, accessories and publications; standard shipping €4.99 in Germany, €8.99 in the EU, €15.00 to Switzerland/UK; pay-as-you-go billing) with a minor B2B/Händlerbereich dealer channel and a professional-services line providing certified installation and commissioning of navigation electronics through partner Marcel Moise in North Germany. Payment infrastructure spans PayPal, Stripe-backed credit card, Klarna Sofortüberweisung, Amazon Pay, iDEAL (NL) and bank transfer; customer engagement runs through a content-marketing blog, email newsletter (Sendinblue), and paid-acquisition tags (Google Ads, Facebook Pixel, Bing UET). The company is privately held, has not raised institutional funding per available sources, and operates with an 11-50 employee headcount band.

By ownership structure, HanseNautic functions as the consumer-facing retail arm of NV Chart Group GmbH, which is the chart-publisher parent; HanseNautic appears to leverage that relationship to secure chart supply and channel distribution, while other inventory categories are sourced through third-party marine manufacturers. The integration of charts, hardware, safety gear, installation services, and licensing-education materials into a single storefront is the defining characteristic of the business model.

Name

HanseNautic

Legal name

NV Chart Group GmbH

Website

https://hansenautic.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HanseNautic is a German e-commerce and physical-store retailer, headquartered in Eckernförde under NV Chart Group GmbH, selling paper and digital nautical charts, yacht electronics, safety gear, and boat accessories to recreational sailors and motorboat owners in Germany and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Equipment Retail

NAICS

Motorcycle, Boat, and Other Motor Vehicle Dealers (44122)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Parts, Accessories & Maintenance Supplies Retail (CRAMAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Safety & Navigation Electronics Retail (PFDs, EPIRBs, GPS, VHF) (CRAMAIAH), Sailing & Rigging Retail (Sailboats, Sails, Hardware) (CRAMAIAG), Fishing Electronics & Marine Tech Retail (Fishfinders, GPS, Sonar) (CRAMALAH), Docking, Anchoring & Mooring Equipment Retail (CRAMAIAI)

Keywords

• Nautical charts
• Marine electronics
• Boat accessories
• Sailing safety equipment
• Marine publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Eckernförde

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling nautical charts (paper and digital), yacht electronics, boat accessories, safety equipment, and nautical publications through their e-commerce platform and physical store.
2. Professional Services: Yacht service including installation and commissioning of navigation electronics such as chart plotters, radar, AIS, and autopilots through certified service partner Marcel Moise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

HanseNautic operates an e-commerce and physical retail platform selling paper and digital nautical charts, yacht electronics (chart plotters, radar, AIS, autopilots), safety equipment, boat care and repair products, sailing apparel, and maritime publications to recreational sailors and motorboat owners. The platform stocks leading brands such as Raymarine, Garmin, B&G, Simrad, and Lowrance, and complements product sales with advisory services on chart selection and professional installation of navigation electronics via a certified partner network.

Product overview

HanseNautic operates as an e-commerce platform for maritime products, combining digital and physical nautical goods. The core portfolio centers on navigation products — paper nautical charts covering global waters and digital chart subscriptions (NV Charts, Navionics, C-MAP, Garmin Plotterkarten) alongside chart plotters and yacht electronics from Raymarine, B&G, Simrad, Garmin, and Lowrance. Complementing navigation are cruising guides, harbor handbooks, and inland waterway maps, plus maritime publications including Admiralty, BSH, and IMO official materials. The platform extends into boat care (Yachticon, NAUTICclean, SEA-LINE polishes and teak care), safety equipment (life jackets, EPIRBs, liferafts), boat hardware (ropes, anchors, deck fittings, winches), marine electrical systems, sanitation, sailing apparel, and boating education materials for licenses and radio certificates. A certified installation service (Yachtservice) provides on-site fitting of electronics. The company is part of NV Chart Group GmbH.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paper Nautical Charts Physical paper nautical charts covering oceans, seas, coastal waters, and inland waterways worldwide, sold to recreational boat owners for voyage planning and onboard reference.
• Digital Nautical Charts Electronic nautical charts and mapping software for chart plotters and navigation systems, available through subscriptions and proprietary chart cards from multiple publishers.
• Cruising Guides and Harbor Handbooks Printed cruising guides covering specific sailing areas including Baltic Sea, North Sea, Mediterranean, North Atlantic, Caribbean, inland waters, South Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Ocean, and polar seas, providing harbor and pilotage information for recreational sailors.
• Inland Waterway Maps (Binnenkarten) Inland waterway charts for German canals, Dutch waterways, French and Belgian rivers, and other European lakes and inland navigation routes.
• Maritime Books and Nautical Publications Maritime literature including navigation textbooks, seamanship guides, tide tables, boat maintenance manuals, and official publications from Admiralty, BSH, and IMO, supplemented by electronic publications such as Digital Lights List, Digital Radio Signals, and Admiralty Total Tide.
• Chart Plotters for Boats Chart plotters and multifunction displays combining GPS navigation, fish finding, radar connectivity, and integrated marine electronics from brands including Raymarine, Garmin, B&G, Simrad, and Lowrance.
• Autopilots Marine autopilot systems including built-in autopilots, complete systems, drive units, tiller pilots, and wheel pilots with control units for sailboats and motor yachts.
• Onboard Instruments Onboard marine instruments including multifunction displays, classic instruments, wind indicators, speed logs, and depth sounders for sailboats and motorboats.
• VHF Marine Radios VHF marine radios including fixed-mount DSC radios, AIS-enabled radios, and handheld units, sold with antennas and accessories from manufacturers including Icom.
• AIS Systems Automatic Identification System transponders and receivers for vessel tracking and collision avoidance on recreational and commercial vessels.
• Fishfinders and Sonar Fish-finding sonar systems including dedicated fish finders, combination echo sounder-chart plotters, and transducers for sport fishing and navigation.
• Marine Radar Marine radar systems including radome radars, open array radars, and accessories for collision avoidance and navigation in low visibility conditions.
• Marine Networking and NMEA Equipment Marine networking equipment including NMEA 2000 cables, adapters and converters, Ethernet cables, SeaTalk and NMEA 0183 components, multiplexers, and wireless bridge solutions for onboard system integration.
• Sensors and Transducers Marine sensors and transducers including wind sensors, speed sensors, compass sensors, echo sounders, GPS/GNSS sensors, rudder angle sensors, and barometer/temperature sensors.
• Life Jackets and Personal Flotation Devices Life jackets and personal flotation devices including automatic and manual inflation vests, solid foam vests, children's and pet life vests, and safety harnesses for recreational boating.
• Distress Beacons and MOB Systems Distress beacons and man-over-board systems including AIS MOB transmitters, EPIRBs, PLBs, DSC radios, and mounting accessories for emergency response at sea.
• Liferafts Liferafts and accessories for emergency evacuation at sea, with various capacities and servicing options.
• Distress Signals Distress signals including acoustic signals, flares, electronic lights, and waterproof storage solutions for maritime emergencies.
• Boat Equipment and Accessories Comprehensive boat equipment including rope, sheets, and lines; anchoring and mooring gear; deck hardware; winches and blocks; hatches, vents, and dehumidifiers; rail fittings; and general onboard equipment.
• Boat Care and Maintenance Products Boat care and maintenance products including polishes, waxes, greases, teak care, cleaning products, brushes, sponges, and anodes for corrosion protection, from brands including Yachticon, NAUTICclean, SEA-LINE, and Tikal Marine Systems.
• Boat Repair Materials Boat repair materials including sealants from Sika and Bostik, epoxy resins, adhesives, tapes, fairing compounds, and specialized repair tools.
• Sailing Apparel Sailing apparel including jackets, sailing trousers, foul weather gear, functional base layers, UV protection clothing, sailing shoes, gloves, and headwear.
• Marine Electrical Systems Marine electrical systems including interior and navigation lighting, connectors, batteries, chargers, inverters, converters, shore power, solar panels, generators, and onboard heating, including Mastervolt products.
• Marine Sanitation and Water Systems Marine sanitation and water systems including marine toilets (manual and electric), freshwater, bilge, and waste pumps, sanitation tanks, seacocks, and water filters.
• Boating Education and Licensing Materials Study guides and exam preparation materials for boating licenses including SBF See, SBF Binnen, SKS, SSS, SHS, Bodenseeschifferpatent, RYA Yachtmaster, Vaarbewijs, and radio operator certificates (SRC, UBI, LRC), plus radar and navigation training resources.
• Yacht Service and Installation Certified installation and commissioning service for navigation electronics including chart plotters, radar, AIS, autopilots, and integrated systems, delivered through certified service partner Marcel Moise in North Germany.
• Chart and Revier Advisory Service Expert consultation on selecting paper charts, digital charts, and cruising guides for specific sailing areas, from Baltic Sea to international destinations, available through the company's advisory service.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NV Chart Group GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of HanseNautic. NV Chart Group GmbH is the owning company behind the HanseNautic brand. The relationship provides HanseNautic with access to NV Charts' digital and paper chart products and distribution network.
• Marcel Moise (Certified Service Partner)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCertified service partner providing yacht service for navigation electronics including consulting, mounting, and commissioning of chart plotters, radar, AIS, autopilots and other navigation systems in North Germany.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Defender Marine: Large US marine e-commerce retailer with comparable catalog depth in navigation electronics, safety equipment, and boat accessories — directly comparable in business model (online-first marine chandlery), though primarily serving North America.
• SVB (Spezialversand Bremen): Germany's largest mail-order marine chandlery, combining e-commerce with deep SKUs across navigation electronics, deck hardware, safety gear, and apparel — directly comparable specialty retailer serving the same German recreational sailor and motorboat market.
• Compass Yachtzubehör: German online specialist for yacht accessories, deck hardware, and electronics — competing head-to-head with HanseNautic in the same mid-size recreational sailing and motorboat customer segment.
• A.W. Niemeyer Bootshaus: Long-established Bremen-based marine retailer offering yacht equipment, electronics, charts, and apparel with its own e-commerce platform — direct competitor in the German marine chandlery segment.
• Marine Super Store: UK-based online marine retailer carrying navigation electronics, safety gear, and chandlery — comparable European online-only specialist serving recreational boat owners across similar product categories.
• Meibo: German marine retailer offering yacht equipment, safety gear, and electronics online — comparable specialty retailer targeting German recreational boaters.
• Boots- und Yachtcenter Bönning: Northern German marine retailer offering yacht equipment, electronics, and accessories with both online and physical store presence — comparable mid-size German competitor with adjacent geographic footprint to Eckernförde.

Broad incumbents

• West Marine: The largest US-based marine retailer with hundreds of stores and a broad catalog spanning electronics, safety, hardware, and apparel — broadly competitive but operating at much greater scale and geographic breadth than HanseNautic.

Others

• NV Charts: Sister brand and core supplier under the NV Chart Group GmbH parent — HanseNautic distributes NV Charts products, and the publisher/retailer relationship makes NV Charts a closely linked ecosystem participant rather than a strict competitor.
• Garmin Marine: Major marine electronics manufacturer whose products HanseNautic resells; Garmin's growing direct e-commerce channel makes it both a strategic supplier and an emerging competitive threat on the OEM side of the market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HanseNautic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hansenautic-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HanseNautic